Minister calls halt to all toll road projects
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele had ordered the SA National Roads Agency Limited to halt all project processes related to the tolling of national roads, his department said yesterday. “Good infrastructure is a necessity for a better future for our country, but this requirement must not leave our people even poorer,” he said. All spheres of government should be part of a consultative process with all affected parties, he said. Ndebele said yesterday that all processes, including processes initiated by the Gauteng provincial legislature, should be allowed to reach their logical conclusions to ensure that all parties concerned and their respective views were brought on board. He said that while the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project had delivered good road infrastructure, it was an expensive exercise that had drawn sharp views from the public. – Sapa
Plant oil facility to create jobs
Tzaneen has been given an economic boost with the launch of a plant oils beneficiation facility on Friday. The Nkowankowa demonstration centre will run a R13.9 million development project over the next three years processing and beneficiating fruits and other plants. The centre is the result of a joint effort between the Department of Science and Technology, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Vaal University of Technology and Sasol’s enterprise development entity, Sasol ChemCity. Members of the rural community will be able to sell their fruits to the facility. – Sungula Nkabinde